Flag Day of the Finnish Defense Forces celebration
This year the Finnish Flag Day celebration was arranged on 4 June 2024 at Monec Hotel by Ambassador Pirkko Hämäläinen and Defence Attaché Harri Paldanius.
In Finland, Finnish Flag Day is traditionally celebrated on 4 June. It is the official celebration of the Finnish Armed Forces. On that special day, honorary soldiers and reservists are promoted. In Finland, Defence Forces arrange military parades in various locations on this day.
The fourth of June is also the birthday of military leader and President Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim.
He made a remarkable career in the Finnish Defence Forces and also as a civilian politician.
As a young officer he served in the Imperial Russian army and became a courtier 
Later in the Winter War 1939-1940 and the continuation war 1941-1944 The Soviet Union as well as the war of Lapland 1944-1945 against Germany he became a unifying symbol of the nation in the war efforts and the core leadership of the country. After the war, he was the president of the republic for two years before retiring and moving to Switzerland. He was also explorer, which was one of his favorite professions. He travelled and hunted in Asia extensively.
Today, Mannerheim retains respect as Finland's greatest statesman.
Among the nearly 170 guests were also the guests of honor were Deputy Chief of Turkish General Staff General Irfan Özsert, Chief of Staff of Navy Command, Vice Admiral İbrahim Özden Koçer, 4th Corps Commander Lieutenant General Ahmet Kurumahmut, and Head of Military Factories Mr. Vedat Öncel.
We would like to thank you all who participated and we hope to see many of you next year as well!
